


I'll Be the Sea and You'll Be the Tide

by PitchCat



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Reader-Insert, Slow Burn, and I'll tag as we go I guess lol, and so you guys brood about that for a million years and like, cheesy indie pop plays in the background, errrr uhhh.... basically you fall in love and it's an accident
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-04-22 14:28:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14310705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PitchCat/pseuds/PitchCat
Summary: You look so cool, standing thereWith your baggy jeans and silky hairWe can live for nothing baby I don't careLose me like the ocean, feel the motionI'll be the sea honeyAlways, alwaysAnd you'll be the tideYou are a newly-hired schedule manager for Shining Agency. You work your way through your assignments with a mechanical diligence, not hoping for anything more than a steady job. Somehow, you keep meeting with a certain Kotobuki Reiji and the more you do, the more you find yourself dragged into his spiraling, confusing personality.When did you start thinking about him all the time, anyway?





	1. Chapter 1

 

Kotobuki Reiji sighed, adjusting his grip on his hat and frowning over the contents of the papers in his other hand. _Another_ interview? What could they possibly have left to ask? His eyes ran over the last few lines and he exhaled once more before folding and stuffing the papers into his back pocket. Guess spring hype was really just beginning, but still… it seemed a bit excessive.

All those energetic young folks.... These days the sun just made him want to take long drives and take naps on empty beaches. Hyuga-senpai would probably say it was just his old personality creeping up on him, but truthfully... Reiji just felt worn out. Sure, things with Quartet Night were still going strong and it wasn't like he was falling out of popularity _exactly_... but somewhere on the outstretching reaches of his mind, he knew it would only be a matter of time until he began to fade away from the public eye.

 _Twenty-nine_....

He shook his head and dropped his hat into place, standing from the common room chair he’d been slouched in and stretching his hands as far overhead as he could reach. He rolled his shoulders twice and turned on his heel, dense, rubber shoe soles clicking on the tile every step. He paused at the threshold of the front door. The sunlight streaming through the high windows caught the dust motes and lit the room with a nostalgic glow, a cascade of shimmering stars. He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes lowering thoughtfully. Was the day _really_ this sentimental or was he just getting older?

_Nope. Not thinking about it._

He jerked his head and stepped out into that bright sunlight. He breathed in the fresh, almost-spring air, tinged with the sweet scent of newly-cut grass and a feeling like driving far, far on the other side of Japan... Out of habit, he stepped forward, forgetting, for a moment, to open his eyes....

...and stepped right into someone else. The figure nearly fell backwards down the front steps from the force. Reiji caught the unsuspecting victim by the shoulders before they could fall.

“Careful!”

They managed to steady themselves and look up—oh, it was a woman. She had instinctively reached up to grip his forearms. They both froze, still shaken up from the impact. Reiji studied her in the moment; she was dressed a bit strangely, all in black with a leather jacket and... very heavy-looking boots.

“Oh my god,” she breathed. “I'm so sorry!” Realizing their position, she quickly pulled out of his grip and stepped down and away. Her eyes widened and she spun in a circle, face crumpling when she caught sight of her cell phone on the ground. She darted down and grabbed it, sending Reiji a 'one moment' gesture in the form of a raised index finger. She lifted the mostly-unscathed phone to her ear. “Sorry, sorry! I just bumped into someone like a complete idiot and dropped my phone.” Reiji cringed at her harsh way of speaking, still a little bewildered at the turn of events.

“Of course,” she continued. “Yeah, yeah. I'll call you back when you get here. Just—ugh, bother the front desk for directions! Okay. Okay. See you.” She tapped the 'end call' button and turned back to Reiji, who was still waiting patiently, if more for curiosity's sake than politeness. “God, are you okay? I was completely focused on my phone.” Reiji gave her another once-over, taking in the intense style of her hair, the leather and the distinctly-unfeminine footwear.

“You remind me of my band mate,” he blurted before he could stop himself. The woman frowned, not angrily but rather confused. Reiji jolted, realizing what he'd said. He grabbed the top of his hat and fumbled to explain. “Not that you look like a man!” She raised her eyebrows but her expression remained otherwise unreadable. He laughed awkwardly. “You just seem to share similar fashion taste is all but—oh, that's not really something to just say to a stranger.... Ran-Ran is incredibly cool, so it's a compliment, I promise!” He trailed off with a vague groan. Uncomfortable silence settled between them. Reiji chewed his lower lip—was it possible to summon an earthquake to swallow him up?

The woman laughed, clipped and barking, smile hidden behind the hand holding her cell phone. The tightness in Reiji's chest whooshed out of him in a relieved sigh. He chuckled quietly. After she gathered her composure, she grabbed one of his hands and shook it firmly.

“[Last name] [Name]. Sorry for running into you like that, Kotobuki-san.”

Reiji smirked, his usual demeanor creeping back again. He tipped his hat teasingly. “'Rei-chan', I insist. But...” he tilted his head and looked at her sidelong, “you seem to know me, but I don't believe we've ever met.” The woman pulled out her phone again and scrolled through some notifications. She wrinkled her nose at whatever she read there. Cute. She looked back up at him.

“You'd be correct. I haven't had the pleasure, considering my previous job position, though I _do_ know someone close to you.” Reiji blinked. She chuckled again. “'Ran-Ran', huh? I'll have to use that the next time I see the brat.”

Reiji’s thoughts swirled. So this woman, this ‘[Name]’, knew Ran-Ran enough to call him a brat? Who was she? Family member coming for a visit? Secret lover? Ex-fan? Should he be worried?

She looked to the side and perked up, eyes glittering. “Speak of the devil.” She raised her arm in greeting. “Hey, _Ran-Ran_!” Reiji followed her gaze to where his group mate was running by in a tracksuit on the path below, looking as bristly and unapproachable as ever. Ranmaru froze in place at the sound of her calling out to him, then turned to send a frigid glare her way. His scowl only deepened when he noticed Reiji there too. [Name] grinned wickedly.

“Are you gonna come up and say 'hi', or are you gonna hiss at me from afar like the stray cat you are, Kurosaki?”

“I'm gonna keep jogging,” Ranmaru groused without missing a beat, “and then I'm gonna keep ignoring you and eat breakfast.”

“Oh? Still avoiding showers until you've had your daily breakfast meat, ya carnivore?”

Ranmaru's cheeks darkened and he lurched back into his jog, running past the stairs and deeper into the Saotome campus. [Name] cackled loudly and tugged on her lower eyelid, sticking her tongue out at Ranmaru's back. “Keep running! Baby Ran-Ran!”

Reiji laughed uncomfortably. So… they were clearly familiar with each other, but he still had no insight to the nature of their relationship.

She shook her head and smiled softly. “That brat is as cold as ever, I see. I would've thought he'd have warmed up, being so close to you for all these years.”

Reiji's heart thumped at that. He forced another smile. “I... I'm sorry, I still don't really know who you are...?”

[Name]'s face went pale. “Oh, god! I still haven't explained myself!” She bowed briefly, which Reiji returned. “I was the manager for Ranmaru's old band, way back in the day. As brief a stint it was, he and I got to be pretty close. I'm starting work for Shining Agency today.”

...an old friend of Ranmaru's then? Reiji's eyes darted over her again when she checked her phone for the umpteenth time. Younger guys always had a thing for lady managers.... Had they ever dated? Was she Ranmaru's type?

He blinked hard. Ugh, his head was all over the place today.

“Oh?” He prompted lamely, still trying to get his thoughts in order.

She nodded. “Yup. Shining scouted me I guess? Well, anyway, he offered me a job as a schedule assistant. It was a lot steadier pay than my last job, and I'm getting older so I can't really afford to keep living off of ramen when things get tight.” Reiji laughed, remembering his earlier train of thought regarding his own age. He studied her face for a moment and smiled gently.

“Honestly, you hardly look older than some of the graduates around here, [Name]-chan.” Was that just the warmth of the sun or did her cheeks flush a bit? She bit the inside of her cheek and eyed him strangely. For a moment, Reiji wondered if he had overstepped his bounds.

Then, she hid her smile behind her phone again and looked at him from his shoes to hat. “You're looking pretty youthful yourself there too, _Kotobuki-san_.”

His skin tingled. Oh. He wasn't quite used to... whatever _that_ was.

Her phone buzzed and she checked the caller ID. “Sorry, but I have to get going and set up my office. See you around, ne?” With that, she reached up and flicked the brim of his hat, stepped around him, and continued into the building.

Minutes later, Reiji realized he was still staring at the front door, twisted around in place. A breeze blew gently, ruffling his bangs against his cheeks. He shivered.

Interesting.

* * *

 

Your name was [Last name] [Name], age somewhere in the range of twenty-six to twenty-seven years old. At the moment, you were flustered as all get-out, because the people in charge of moving your office supplies had gotten lost several times today, you’d had to be up way earlier than you normally woke, and you _still_ hadn’t managed to get a meal in you.

Your caffeine rush was just about to crash once and for all when you heard a knock at the door of your new office. You swiveled around in your chair (one of the few pieces of furniture in the barren room) sunken back almost as low as you could get against the plush leather.

“Come in,” you grumbled. The door opened, revealing an incredibly beautiful, impeccably-dressed, cascading-pink-haired man.

“Knock-knock, [Name]-chan~” He flounced into the room, altogether too chipper for your current emotional state. You dragged yourself up in your seat and nodded your head.

“Good afternoon, Ringo-san. Sorry I’m not standing. These movers have really taken it out of me.”

He waved a hand dismissively. “Not at all. Idiots, the lot of them. Here--” he plopped a bag down on the desk in front of you before reaching over to pull a folding chair across from you--“brought you a little something to take the edge off.” You groaned and slumped forward, pushing aside the plastic to reveal a neatly-packaged bento.

“Oh, thank god,” you breathed, already snapping your chopsticks apart and tearing at the paper band. Inside, a beautifully-arranged lunch awaited you. Perfectly-cooked rice in a pleasing ball, a whole section dedicated to silky _tamago nigiri_ , and several adorable sausages with little seaweed bands for decoration. You felt your eyes dampen with joy. “It smells so amazing….”

Ringo giggled. “Well, don’t hold back on my account.”

You nodded. “ _‘Tadakimasu_.”

Ringo stayed with you while you ate, delicately going over your new work papers only after you’d made it halfway through the bento. When he’d finished briefing you on the upcoming schedule for the week, the topic turned to small talk before fading into a companionable silence. Ringo leaned back in his seat, cradling his face in a palm cutely.

“So,” he said, “I know it’s mostly all professionalism around here, but honestly: how does it feel to be surrounded by so many idols all at once?”

You swallowed the last of your food and wiped your mouth with the complimentary napkin. “Truthfully? It’s a little surreal. I was never much into pop music though, so it’s not like I’m dying of fan-fever or anything.”

Ringo nodded deeply. “Have you talked to anyone yet? It’s been pretty empty around here today, but surely you must’ve met with _some_ sparkling someone or another.”

You pursed your lips. “I… accidentally and quite literally bumped into Kotobuki-san earlier. That was… only mortifying.” Your palms began to sweat at the memory. Not even at your new job for ten minutes and you’d already made a fool of yourself!

Ringo laughed. “‘Kotobuki-san’? So formal~ I’m sure Rei-chan won’t let you get away with that for longer than an hour when you start working with him.” He sighed, dramatically and wistfully. “I bet it was such a romantic springtime scene! The pair of you all entangled, nearly falling over each other, cherry blossoms drifting on the breeze!”

“Hardy har har. As if. The petals aren’t even ready to fall yet.” You grimaced. “At any rate, we’re complete strangers, so first names--at least on my end--are off the table. We’re just not familiar enough.”

It was just a moment, but you could’ve sworn that Ringo’s impossibly-blue eyes flashed with some deeper emotion. His lips curled up in a subtle, knowing smile and he brushed a stray lock of hair over his shoulder. “Well, don’t get used to that attitude. You may be new around here, but Rei-chan has a way of drawing out the more light-hearted, sentimental sides of people. He’ll get you calling him whatever he likes in no time.” You shrugged idly, too busy pushing the last grains of rice from your lunch into some semblance of a final bite. Ringo watched you bite down on it, then his eyes narrowed happily. “Besides. I’d say you’re getting familiar enough already. After all--” he flipped over the paper wrapper from the bento, revealing a familiar name-- “you’re eating his mom’s cooking.”

You bit down hard on the chopsticks and grunted in pain and--once more--Ringo laughed.

* * *

“The BPM needs to be faster. People don’t want to listen to slow songs in the summer.” Ai wrinkled his nose and leaned back on his hips, arms crossed. Ranmaru knocked on the center of the table loudly. The others winced at the sound of knuckles on glass.

“You can afford to go slower when the bass is making up for it! It’ll get people energized…. passionate.”

Ai turned his nose up at the music in front of him. “I’m telling you it won’t. Right now, for our best success, my data is pointing me in the direction of a synth-heavy instrumental with a quick build and a refreshing, mid-level drop. It needs to be melodic and repetitive so people want to listen to it multiple times, and it needs to be fast enough to be played at parties. I also think a bubble motif would be good as it suits the mood of something like a pool party.”

Ranmaru’s fingers dug into the sheet music, crumpling it slightly. “We did a pop song _last_ time.”

Reiji lifted a hand placatingly. “Guys, why don’t we move away from the music aspect and try for lyrics for a bit?”

“Shut up, Reiji!” Ai and Ranmaru snapped in unison. Reiji sighed, looking across the table to where Camus was mostly reclined in his seat, holding a cup of tea and reading a book with no title on the front. Ai and Ranmaru continued to bicker. Haruka spoke up from the other end of the table.

“Um… you know, you could do something more fast-paced to fit the energy of a party a-and… instead of using synths, you could focus on more traditional instruments like bass and guitar. That way, it would suit both of your likes.” Reiji closed his eyes. Sweet, delicate Haruka. She was so much better at soothing Quartet Night’s interpersonal tensions, even after all this time. Sure enough, both Ranmaru and Ai gave pause, closing their mouths and considering her suggestion. Reiji caught her eye and nodded subtly, mouthing a quick ‘thank you’ that went unnoticed by his group. Haruka nodded back, smiling sweetly.

Camus set his cup back in its saucer, closed his book and leaned forward on his elbows. “I think we should do something that involves a full orchestra to reflect the grandness of our feelings.”

The room erupted again. Reiji groaned and slumped forward, forehead making a loud _thunk!_ on the glass table.

There was a knock at the door that went unanswered due to the volume of the argument. Reiji was too weary to move and he assumed that Haruka felt it wasn’t her place. Another knock. Another minute of shouting and fussing and Ranmaru banging the table to get his point across. Reiji’s eyebrows knit together.

The door slammed open, ricocheting off the rubber bumper and silencing the table.

“Excuse me, but you are disturbing the rest of the office.”

Reiji straightened up and swiveled the chair around, then blinked rapidly. It was Ranmaru’s ex-manager from earlier in the week. Hm. He hadn’t really thought about running into her again after their initial meeting.

Ranmaru glowered. “What are you doing in here? Aren’t you a schedule manager?”

[Name]’s eyebrow twitched. “I’m passing through to pick up some files for Ittoki-san’s schedule. The poor staff out here looked harrowed-to-death but none of them were getting up to say anything.”

Ranmaru frowned deeper. “Well, leave! Go back to your own department and mind your own business.” The room went cold and deathly silent. Reiji was holding his breath, Haruka and Ai both looked terribly uncomfortable, and even Camus was watching the situation unfold through slitted eyes.

A gust of air ruffled Reiji’s hair and--suddenly--[Name] was looming over Ranmaru, who had bizarrely slouched downward to avoid her steely glare.

“Is that so, Ran-chan? You _sure_ you wanna talk to me like that?”

Reiji felt fearful gooseflesh break out across his skin. Her voice was chilling. Ranmaru only glared right back up her.

“Y… Yeah, I am. Get outta here.”

[Name] pulled her phone from her back pocket. Ranmaru’s jaw tensed. She flipped it around to display one of the many contacts. “Are you really, _really_ sure? Because I think you’d be interested to know that I just happen to have the number of a certain _obaa-san_ who I think would be very interested in knowing about how you treat your coworkers….”

“No!” Ranmaru jolted, ramrod straight in his chair but unable to stand due to [Name]’s closeness. He lunged for her phone and she yanked it back.

“Ah, ah, ah! What do you say?”

He scowled. Reiji watched with bated breath.

Ranmaru’s eyes roved the room and went back to [Name’s]. “ _...here_?” She nodded sagely. He gritted his teeth. “You’re gonna regret this.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it, baby Ran-Ran.”

His eyes flashed with white-hot rage and, through a clenched jaw, he growled, “Sorry... _nee-san_.”

Reiji nearly choked.

[Name] chuckled lightly and dropped her phone into her pocket. “Good boy!” She ruffled Ranmaru’s hair, which he recoiled from, and then she sauntered back to the door. She looked at each of them firmly, pausing to smile kindly at Haruka and eyes lingering for just a second longer on Reiji. “Make sure you apologize to the staff when you’re done with the room. You’re professionals and I shouldn’t have to tell you to act like it.” With that, she closed the door and walked away.

“Who on earth was that?” Camus murmured, almost more to himself than anyone else.

Haruka’s eyes narrowed in an awkward smile. “That’s [Last name]-san. She’s a new schedule manager for the agency and an old friend of Kurosaki-san’s.”

“She ain’t my friend,” Ranmaru barked.

“Mm,” Haruka agreed graciously. “Well, she’s someone he knows, then.”

Ai closed his eyes for a few moments before opening them again. “What a unique presence. She wasn’t very ladylike. I haven’t experienced that around here before.”

“Mikaze-san,” Haruka chided, “you shouldn’t say that about people!”

“Why not?” He cocked his head. “It’s an accurate observation.” Camus hummed in agreement.

Reiji only glanced over his shoulder again. [Name] was still barely visible through the frosted glass of the conference room entry, smiling and chatting with the staff like she hadn’t just cowed one of the fiercest idols at the agency. He sank back in his chair and stroked his chin, then shrugged it off and went back to mediating Quartet Night’s meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um... Hi. I've never really posted to AO3 before, so I'm a complete noob when it comes to formatting and doing... literally anything. If you have any tips, please tell me! And if you see any typos or things like that too. Anyway, hope you enjoy this! FYI, there's no update schedule, but I'll try to post chaps as I write em. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The first week at Shining Agency flew by in a blur. Your days were divided among training, studying the list of idols you’d be serving and their variety of needs and habits. Both your office and your apartment were littered with files upon files. Still, there was a method to the madness of your organization, and you were hanging on enough to complete your work to an appropriate standard. 

You worked through your first weekend and were pleasantly surprised that your efforts had paid off. Shining had popped up in your office (through the  _ window _ , of all places) to inform you that your first official assignment would be managing Ittoki Otoya’s schedule for a week. You were lucky; he was the notoriously easy-going, friendly idol from Starish. True to your expectations, he was lovely to work with. Ever sweet and supportive, encouraging while helping you get the finer nuances of your job down for the future.

At long last, it was your first day off. Unfortunately for you, the previous week’s chronic responsibilities had left you without plans. You woke up that morning, still engaged in ‘work mode’, and went through your entire routine all the way to taking the train to the Saotome campus. You didn't even notice it was Sunday when you arrived to find minimal staff in the office building. The woman at the front desk had called after you as you passed and reminded you, chuckling good-naturedly when you realized. 

So, here you sat, legs kicked out and headphones on, staring at the sunny sky and hoping the weather held until you could decide what to do with yourself. There was a nice breeze that picked up every few minutes, ruffling the budding new leaves on the campus trees. You leaned your head back on your shoulders, breathing deeply.

The wooden bench creaked beneath you from a particularly hard gust. Something brushed the back of your leg.

...Something brushed… the back of your leg.

You jumped, ripping your headphones out of your ears and looking around. A gray, blurry shape cowered further behind the leg of the bench. You peered closer. It was… a kitten? Slate blue eyes opened, squinting from the wind, and peered back at you. Your hand darted down before the kitten could spook and you snatched it up, pulling it close and shielding it from the breeze with the open flap of your leather jacket.

“Hey there, little guy,” you murmured. The kitten struggled and mewed pitifully. You readjusted your grip to hold it more gently. “There, there. What are you doing out here all alone?” You looked around for any sign of a mother cat, or maybe even other kittens. 

“Don’t worry about him. The others are around.”

You jumped again and turned to find Ranmaru standing behind you. Once again in his tracksuit, covered in a light sheen of sweat. You sighed exaggeratedly.

“Don’t scare me like that, Ran.”

He blinked. “Are you gonna put him down or what?”

You looked inside your jacket and stroked the kitten’s forehead softly, touch lingering on its downy fur. “Maybe. But maybe I want to hold the cutie a little longer.” Ranmaru shrugged.

“Well, if you’re gonna hold him, then the least you could do is give him this.” He held his hand out, revealing a few dried anchovies. You smirked, taking a fish with your free hand.

“I see you haven't changed.”

For once, Ranmaru returned your smirk. “And neither have you.” You both sank down on the bench, setting the kitten between you and taking turns offering it pieces of fish. Minutes passed in companionable silence. Ranmaru’s breathing slowed from its previous ragged pace. Eventually, the kitten got full enough and jumped down, disappearing into nearby grass.

“So,” Ranmaru said. “Shining 'scouted’ you?”

You shrugged. “I guess. One day I was scrambling to line up a gig, hoping to find work with a bigger band or at least push my latest clients into the limelight and the next I was getting called by one of the largest talent agencies in the country.” You kicked a pebble near the toe of your boot; it skittered along the pathway and jumped into the grass.

“I take it… the indie scene isn't doing so hot then, ne?”

You pushed your lower lip out thoughtfully. “...No. Ever since the pop industry started manufacturing edgier stuff, rockers just hedge their bets and apply for that. Most indie labels won't sign guys unless they're top tier in the looks department anyway, so a lot of real talents just give up and find jobs that pay the bills. Or they try for overseas.” You scoffed bitterly. “Most come crawling back though. Don't wanna learn the language.”

Ranmaru nodded vaguely. “So you were out of work then. Living off ramen like the old days?” He grinned wickedly and pinched your thigh. “Couldn't get away with it like you used to, though.” 

You smacked his hand away, half laughing, half angry. “Watch it, Kurosaki.” You stared into each other's eyes for a moment before breaking into a shared fit of mirth. Ranmaru grabbed the back of your head and brought your foreheads together, rubbing them in a rough, brotherly fashion.

“Gross!” You fake-scolded, still laughing. “Your hair’s all sweaty from your run.”

Ranmaru’s smirk deepened. “Nothing you’re not used to, right?”

Your heart warmed with a soft nostalgia. “Mm!”

 

* * *

 

“I don’t know, I was just looking back all those years ago, and I was thinking about how grateful I am because I feel like you really helped teach us so much!”

Reiji’s eyelids fluttered tiredly. “What? Oh, right, Otoyan. I guess I did, didn't I?” He’d completely spaced out during their walk. When Otoya started talking about the passage of time, he’d gotten caught up thinking about his upcoming birthday again, and subtly grinding his teeth at the thought. Luckily, Otoya wasn’t the most observant and pushed onward, unperturbed. 

His eyes scrunched up with his sunny smile. “Mm! I remember when I couldn’t even do a simple card trick without you or Tokiya having to save me. A lot has changed since then.” As they rounded the bend in the path, a strange sight came into view. Ranmaru was… embracing someone? Reiji’s footsteps faltered from the shock. In all their time together, he’d never see Ranmaru so much as go on a date. Not to say it hadn’t happened, but surely Ranmaru knew better at this point than to be cavorting in broad daylight on the Saotome Campus itself!

Otoya was still as innocent as ever, it seemed. He immediately locked up, cheeks flushing, and blurted the first thing that came to mind.

“K-Kurosaki-senpai! I-I, oh... Sorry for interrupting!”

Ranmaru’s head whipped around at Otoya’s outburst. He stood from the bench, revealing the increasingly-familiar form of [Name] as his companion. Reiji’s thoughts percolated. They’d looked pretty intimate. Maybe they were lovers after all?

Otoya was rubbing the back of his neck, chattering to fill the awkward silence. Reiji wished he’d stop talking for  _ two seconds please _ , but it strangely… seemed to be working in his favor? He chewed his lower lip, listening intently for any interesting details he could pick up.

“I didn’t know you had a girlfriend, Kurosaki-senpai! If I had then I would have chosen another path or been more cautious on this side of the campus or--”

Ranmaru knocked him in the forehead gently. “Idiot. As if this woman could interest me.”

“I heard that, you stupid child!” [Name] shouted, already on her way over to lunge at Ranmaru.

He rolled his eyes, catching her by the head before she could attempt to headlock him. He noogied her, holding her in place as she struggled. “You’re  _ six months _ older than me, for the last time.”

“Baby Ran-Ran!” She stuck her tongue out, taking a playful swing at his face. He dodged it easily.

Otoya’s sputtering trailed off into a curious murmur. “Wait, [Last name]-san? You know Kurosaki-senpai?” 

She managed to pull herself from Ranmaru’s grip and took a step back, adjusting her mussed hair. “Yeah! This runt has been a thorn in my side for a decade at this point.”

Ranmaru’s eyebrow twitched. “Who are you calling ‘runt’? You're like three feet tall.”

”Am not! Look, I'm almost as tall as Kotobuki-san!”

Reiji, who had been observing the situation quietly to that point, forced a smile. Ah. An unknowing jab at one of his weak points.

”Peh,” Ranmaru scoffed. “It doesn't take much to beat out Kotobuki’s height.” Ouch. 

Looking to change the subject--and perhaps delve a little deeper into this secret side of his group mate--Reiji lifted his hands. “Still, it looked like you two were  _ awfully  _ cozy over there~ What were you up to?”

“I was teaching this grandma a lesson about picking fights with people out of her league.“ 

“Hey!”

“Well, you're the one always going on about being older!” 

“Otoya smiled brightly. “Wow, I had no idea you had history with other Shining Agency staff, [Last name]-san! Do you know anyone else?”

[Name] shook her head. “Nah, just Ran. We met when we were teenagers and he had a band and I had ambition and--well, our friendship just took off from there.” Reiji eyed Ranmaru’s subtle changes in expression. Ranmaru scratched the back of his head and looked away.

“You make it sound so cheesy.”

“Well,” [Name] smiled, “if you think my friendship is cheesy, I can gush about all your most embarrassing secrets instead!” She stepped towards Otoya, eyes lit with a mischievous glint. “There was this one time when his band was trying to tour and he’d been sitting in the back seat of the van all day, eating nothing but meat and junk, and he got out and--”

“Okay, okay, that’s enough.” Ranmaru grabbed her around the shoulders, pressing a palm over her face to silence her. “You have just as many embarrassing moments as I do, [Name].” 

She grumbled behind his hand, muffled beyond comprehension.

Otoya’s smile widened impossibly further. “You were so professional when you were managing my schedule; I would never have guessed you had this cute side to you!”

Reiji’s eyes widened. Ranmaru stilled. [Name] flushed, face still half-hidden behind Ranmaru’s hand.

Otoya gasped. “I-I mean! Not like, in a weird way or anything! It’s just refreshing to see you so relaxed!” He rubbed the back of his head. “Ah, I’m sorry. That’s so awkward….”

[Name] shoved Ranmaru’s hand away and immediately laughed the same way she had when she met Reiji. “Ittoki-san, it’s fine. I know what you meant.” Otoya chuckled lamely. Ranmaru nodded vaguely then checked his watch. He looked up again and violently dug his fingers into  [Name]’s hair once more. 

“I have to get back, now. Got a hosting gig later on. See ya.” He nodded at Reiji and Otoya then lurched into a loping, relaxed jog away. Otoya perked up.

“I completely forgot! I have a dance rehearsal with Starish!” He patted Reiji’s shoulder. “Sorry, Rei-chan. I’ll have to catch up with you another time.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Reiji said gently, waving a hand. “I can find my way back just fine.” Otoya bowed, then turned on his heel and left in the same direction as Ranmaru. Reiji watched him go, then turned back to [Name], who was shyly fixing her hair still. Curiosity got the better of him. Watching [Name] out of the corner of his eye, he stretched his arms behind his head and yawned casually.

“Well, I could go for a bite to eat. [Name]-chan, you got any plans? Care to join me?” 

She raised her eyebrows, then pulled out her phone to check the time. “It’s… eleven-thirty in the morning….

Reiji smiled. “And~?”

“It’s not even lunchtime yet….”

Reiji fixed her in an unwavering, grinning stare. He watched her brows furrow, shoulders slumping in confusion. Finally, she caved. “Um. You know what? Sure. It’s my day off anyway.” 

“Great, great, great,” Reiji declared. He closed in on her, offering a cheeky smile. She stiffened slightly, taking a half step back that did not go unnoticed by him. He leaned close to her face, smirk curling deeper when she bit her lower lip. “Ne,” he murmured like he was telling a secret, low and intimate, “do you mind if I choose?”

[Name] met his eyes shakily. “...No. Please do.”

“Even greater!” He straightened up, letting out a laugh. He offered his arm to her. She shook her head and tucked her hands into her pockets, giving only a coy smile as a response. Reiji chuckled. “Hmm, you wound me, [Name]-chan, refusing my arm.” He play-sobbed. “Am I so repulsively old that my  _ kouhai  _ can’t bear to be seen with me?”

“I wouldn’t say I’m your  _ kouhai  _ exactly,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Just a coworker, Kotobuki-san.”

He clicked his tongue, heading for the nearest campus exit. “Again with the ‘Kotobuki-san’! How many times do I have to tell you to call me ‘Rei-chan’?” He winked at her over her shoulder, hoping for another reaction to gauge. She trailed after him, increasing her stride to catch up. At his wink, she remained impassive and only offered a shrug.

“I try to stay on professional terms with my employers, clients, and coworkers. It’s nothing personal against you.”

Reiji eyed her sidelong. “You call Ran-Ran all sorts of nicknames.”

“Yeah,” [Name] shrugged again. “I’ve known him really well for a long time, though.”

Reiji hummed thoughtfully. “So, get to know me, too!” [Name] barked a laugh. Feeling tenacious, Reiji bumped her with his hip. “I’m serious! I can be just as good a friend as Ran-Ran!” She spluttered. 

“Did you just…? You hip-checked me!”

He giggled. “Of course! I’m trying to be friendly~ And what's some playful touch among friends?” He looked down at her, tossing in an extra wink for good measure.

_ I'll get you to open up whether you want to or not. _

She gazed back at him for a few seconds and then, surprisingly, broke into a beaming smile. “Very well then. Friends it is.”

With a triumphant spring in his step, he led her to his car and insisted on driving when she balked. Then he insisted on opening the door for her before she could refuse. He poked the conversation back and forth, balancing it with an expertise earned by almost twenty years in the entertainment industry. Finally, when she cracked and called him 'Reiji-san’, he smirked devilishly.

_ Reiji: 1, [Name]: 0. _

 

* * *

 

 

Your heart was pounding. 

Reiji had practically kidnapped you, driving off before you could even rethink agreeing to this early…  _ lunch _ date? Whatever it was? He’d expertly navigated the dense, inner-city traffic and taken several winding back roads to finally bring you to your destination: a quaint little Italian restaurant crammed between an ancient-looking antique shop and a run-down pachinko parlor. 

As you’d entered, he’d inhaled and exhaled loudly. “I love the feeling of trying a place no one else knows about, don’t you?” You’d vaguely agreed with him, still wondering how you’d ended up spending time with him on your day off.

You weren’t a fan of Kotobuki Reiji, per se, not in the musical sense. You were never into pop music and thusly steered clear of mainstream media. However, being a manager, you couldn’t exactly ignore how the big players did their business either. You knew his name. You knew what he meant to Shining Agency. A child star who’d nearly faded into obscurity only to re-debut as an idol and go on to perform in one of the biggest groups in the industry. He was a legend in his own right and that did not escape your acknowledgment. You respected him in a way outside of the content he produced. His ability to be successful for so long and to such an extent was admirable.

Okay.  _ Maybe _ you were a little starstruck around him. Maybe.

And maybe, when you looked up to see him balancing a  _ grissino  _ on his nose, that starstruck feeling evaporated and you were left with the sensation of question marks swirling before your eyes. The man was mysterious, although not in a way that was overtly apparent. He felt a bit like a card trick. Watch the deck shuffle, search for your card, but really it’s in the other hand and you’re left baffled, sifting through the layers of trickery for an answer which has no intention of being revealed.

Was that too philosophical? After all, you’d barely spoken. Still, you thought to yourself, peering at him over the menu, every so often when he thinks you’re not looking, his eyes will go dark. It was a jarring effect and almost more intriguing than any work tricks you could potentially glean from him, which was your original intention in agreeing to spend time with him.

“[Name]-chan,” he called to you softly, pulling you from your thoughts, “have you decided what you want to order?” 

“Um,” you blurted. You hadn’t decided on anything.

Reiji took another  _ grissino  _ and used it to slowly push your menu down from in front of your face. You were left with the full view of him slumped forward--completely carefree--with his head cradled in one arm. His hair was splayed down over his upper arm, ends just beginning to curl as they met the table top. You chewed your lower lip. The sunlight was glinting between the individual strands. His eyes, soft but in an almost condescending way, caught your attention. He smiled.

“Finally. I thought I’d lost you for a second there. What do you want to eat?”

“I have no clue,” you admitted. “I rarely eat Italian.”

His eyes glittered. “Can I order for you?”

“Sure.”

“Hm, what’s the spiciest thing they have~?”

“Hey! Mean!”

He laughed warmly. “Kidding, I’m kidding. I think you seem like a  _ puttanesca  _ type.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

After ordering, you felt exposed. You could no longer hide behind the menu. Almost without you knowing, your hands sought out other methods of distracting yourself. The napkin was stripped from the tableware, twisted up and shaped into a pretzel. The decorative vase and salt and pepper shakers were arranged and rearranged. Suddenly, Reiji stuck the end of a  _ grissino _ in your face.

“Open up, [Name]-chan,” he said in a sing-song tone, prodding your lips with the breadstick.

You glowered at him instantly. “Absolutely not.”

“Come on~” 

“ _ No _ , Kotobuki-san.” 

He withdrew it and took a bite from the other end. “Ah, back to ‘Kotobuki-san’. Did I push too hard?” He sighed sadly. “All my efforts, gone to waste!” He sent you the shiniest, most trembling, intense puppy eyes you’d ever seen. They tugged at your heart and you felt the intense need to dissuade him from thinking you were upset.

“Ah, no… no… I just.” You leaned forward across the table and lowered your voice. “You’re not exactly  _ unknown _ , you know? Don’t you think you should be careful about your reputation?”

“[Name]-chan,” he whispered, also leaning forward. You resisted the urge to pull back as his nose ended up mere inches from your own. “Are you insinuating that we look like a couple right now?” He bit his lower lip to suppress a grin. You frowned.

“It’s not like I’m presumptuous enough to say I could be dating you,” you hissed, embarrassed, “I’m just looking out for you as a potential client.” You froze as he pressed a finger to your lips to silence you. 

_ Um??? _

“You’re so serious~ I promise nothing will happen.”

“Ahem,” a voice said. You jumped back to sitting upright, cheeks burning. The waitress looked between the pair of you, also blushing slightly. “Here’s your meals.” She set your plate in front of you and you looked away. Glancing at Reiji, you caught him smirking with a less-than-innocent glint in his eye. The waitress bowed and then disappeared again, leaving you to awkwardly reach for your fork and stuff a bite of pasta into your mouth.

“Mm!” Your eyes widened, previous shyness forgotten. “This is delicious!” You took several more bites in quick succession, hardly pausing to chew before swallowing. 

Your skin prickled.

You looked up to see Reiji with one hand cradling his cheek, eyes glowing with a distant sort of happiness. You choked down your bite and leaned away from your plate.

“Is… is something wrong?”

He shook his head minutely. “Nope~! Just… feels nice to take care of people. Makes me feel like a good, reliable  _ onii-san _ , ya know?”

You chuckled. “‘ _ Onii-san’ _ ?”

He tensed. “I, uh...Is that weird to say? The others in Quartet Night hate it.”

“No,” you said, twisting your fork around in your plate. “It’s sweet.” His demeanor shifted and you rushed to elaborate. “I mean like when I was caring for Ittoki-san’s schedule, he spoke about you a lot… and your days as his  _ senpai _ . I think he still really looks up to you.”

Reiji’s eyes dropped to the table, darting over its contents. He opened and closed his mouth several times before settling on a quiet, “...Huh.”

“He said he hopes that he can be as successful as you are for just as long… and that he was thankful for the care you’d put into training him, as short a time as it was.” You watched as his grip tightened on his fork. Interesting. In the hopes that all this was buttering him up, you decided to try and get something out of this bizarre trip.

“Maybe,” you murmured, “you could give me some pointers too? I want to make sure I’m the best at my job as I can be.”

He smiled quickly--almost too quickly. “Of course. But--” he speared a sausage round and lifted it in front of his face, peering at you around it, “--you’ll have to earn it, [Name]-chan.”

You rolled your eyes. “Oh yeah? And how’s that?”

“Spend more time with me!”

Your heart fluttered. Ah… that had caught you off-guard. Was he… was he flirting with you? “U-um… I… I don’t know what to say,” you admitted.

He laughed boisterously. “I mean at  _ work _ .” He laughed harder at your flustered expression as it sank in that he’d been teasing you. He leaned forward for the umpteenth time that day. “If you get assigned to work with me, I’ll teach you everything I know, okay?”

As soon as you opened your mouth to agree wholeheartedly, he shoved the sausage round into your mouth and laughed even louder at your shocked squeak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos and the kind comment :) I'm still getting used to AO3, so I hope the formatting works haha.


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